PICKING a list of the greatest Liverpool players of all time may seem easy.

PICKING a list of the greatest Liverpool players of all time may seem easy.

Names of Anfield gods roll off the tongue and most supporters can agree on the identity of those worthy of the title 'legend'. There are so many to choose from.

But if you limit your all-star squad to two idols from each decade of the club's history, the potential for explosive arguments increase.

Which duo from a list consisting of such heroes as Yeats (above left), Hunt, St John, Thompson, Byrne, Smith and Callaghan would make it from the 1960s?

What permutation would you come up with from the 70s? Could you accept not selecting Keegan and McDermot t unles s you decided not to pick Dalglish and Clemence?

If, in your view, Souness and Hansen were the two players who shone most at Anfield in the 1980s, where did that leave Rush, Lawrenson and Barnes? And that's not accounting for the other 100 or so worthy candidates since Liverpool's formation.

That was the arduous task undertaken by the elite jury selecting the inaugural members of the Anfield Hall of Fame.

Liverpool Chief Executive Rick Parry, assistant manager Phil Thompson, ex-skipper Alan Hansen, record appearance holder Ian Callaghan and former midfielder Brian Hall were entrusted with the role of selecting, and leaving out, the most celebrated stars to ever wear the red shirt.

"When you go through the players and legends who did not get into the Hall of Fame, it shows the remarkable strength of this club," said Hansen.

"It is unfortunate we could only name two players for each decade, but this is what will make the Hall of Fame so prestigious."

Throughout the process, the views of the fans were heard by encouraging feedback from readers of LFC, the official Liverpool magazine and with meetings with the club's official supporters club.

Over the closed season, starting with the 1890s and working our way through the decades until the 1990-2000 era, the ECHO will highlight the panel's selection.

The summer journey will take us through each glorious chapter of Liverpool's history.

Once the identity of all the founder members of the Hall of Fame are known, the club plans to erect a fitting tribute of some form at Anfield.

And that's where readers and fans can have their say. Liverpool's preliminary ideas include building a memorial garden, or even statues of the Anfield greats around the stadium.

There could even be a Sunset Boulevard style pathway where the prints of Anfield's greats leave a permanent impression. The club are keen for feedback on such ideas.

Twenty- two players have earned their place, and others may be nominated in the generations to come. From today, the countdown begins. . .

* See next page for the first two Anfield greats>

Harry Bradshaw>

MANY Liverpool fans would relish the prospect of a goalscoring left winger called Harry dazzling Anfield in the season ahead.

Back in 1893, a year after the club was formed, Thomas Henry 'Harry' Bradshaw was the first of what has become a dying breed. An attacking midfielder who scored and created goals by the bagful.

Despite spending most of his Anfield career on the left flank, the Scouser managed to grab an outstanding 70 goals in 167 appearances.

Harry also has the honour of being Liverpool's first England international.

Sadly, this was to be the highlight of a career which went from triumph to tragedy.

Bradshaw died at the tender age of 26. The circumstances of his death remain a mystery. But he had already secured an important place in Anfield history.

Bradshaw was an instant crowd favourite. If the media coverage then was equivalent to now, his value would have trebled within six months of signing.

He scored on his debut at Arsenal and a week later, on his first Anfield appearance, against Newcastle.

The most celebrated goal was still to come. He struck the crucial second in the play-off which won Liverpool promotion to Division One on April 28 1894.

The opponents relegated that day? A small neighbouring club called Newton Heath. You and I now know them as Manchester United.

It was a sensational start for the 20-year-old who joined in October 1893 from Northwich Victoria. In the final push for promotion, he grabbed seven goals in 14 games.

Liverpool's first year in the top flight was not memorable. They were relegated.

But Bradshaw was the star performer, notching 17 goals in 30 games including Liverpool's first in Division One, against Blackburn.

He inspired his side to promotion a year later, chipping in with another 12 goals.

Liverpool were better equipped for the top flight at their second attempt, finishing a respectable fifth in 1896-97.

By now, Bradshaw's eye for goal had grabbed the attention of England's selectors.

On February 20 1897 a Liverpool player wore the three lions for the first time as England defeated Ireland 6-0. Tragically, Bradshaw never played for his country again.

Having won his first cap at the age of 24, just two years later he was dead.

Bradshaw was transferred to Tottenham Hotspur in 1898 and made 66 appearance for the Londoners before joining Thames Ironworks.

On Christmas Day 1899, he died aged 26. There are no records of the cause of death.

Spurs and Thames Ironworks played a match in his honour on April 2 1900.

Bradshaw burst onto the scene as one of the most exciting and important players of the first successful Liverpool team, but his career came to a premature end.

His position as the first member of Liverpool's Hall of Fame, however, ensures his memory lives on.

Matt McQueen>

IN some cases, the definition of "versatile" in modern football is some-one who can't play anywhere.

Players get moved from one position to another so much, they do not know where their strengths are and end up being of no use to anyone.

So if Liverpool signed someone who described himself as a goalkeeper one week, defender the next and centre forward a week later, no doubt heads would turn and the address of the nearest funny farm dispatched.

There were no doubts about the chameleon-like ability of the second member of Liverpool's Hall of Fame, though.

Matt McQueen could and did play everywhere. Throw in a stint as a league referee, a title-winning spell as Liverpool manager and club director and you have one of the most colourful and impor tant characters in Anfield history.

McQueen was there when it all began, part of Liverpool's first ever team after John Houlding left Everton to create his new club in 1982.

Houlding looked to Scotland for recruits. Indeed, Liverpool had more Macs than a dodgy cinema in Soho.

McQueen, discovered playing for Leith, was among them, making his debut in a 3-0 defeat to Blackpool on November 5 1892.

It wasn't long before his famed versatility came to the fore.

On October 28 1893, McQueen scored in a 5-0 win at Arsenal. A month later he was in goal, keeping a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw with Newcastle. Two weeks after that he filled in at left back.

He even played in goal in the playoff win over Newton Heath which won Liverpool promotion to Division One for the first time - and kept a clean sheet. In total, he played seven games as a keeper in the 1893-94 promotion season.

In Liverpool's first year in the top flight, he made the same number of appearances in goal as first choice W McCann - and conceded fewer goals!

A year later McQueen was first choice again as Liverpool were promoted once more. Eventually, after

51 games in goal, he settled for outfield positions, winning international honours for Scotland before retiring in 1900.

This was merely the end of the beginning of his extraordinary contribution to Liverpool's establishment as a major English club.

After the Great War, he joined the board and was appointed manager in February 1923, overseeing the Reds' fourth title that season.

Mc Queen also signed long-time club record scorer Gordon Hodgson during his five-year reign.

His managerial career was cut short by a road accident in which he lost a leg in 1928, but his connection to Liverpool continued.

McQueen lived in the shadow of Anfield. His house on 32 Kemlyn Road was sadly demolished years later to make way for ground improvement.

On September 29 1944, McQueen died. In keeping with the later traditions of Liverpool FC, he was another great Scot pivotal to the emergence of a great club.